Glynis Johns
Glynis Johns (October 5, 1923, Pretoria, South Africa) is a retired Welsh stage, television and film actress, dancer, pianist, and singer. Born in Pretoria, South Africa of Welsh origin, she is best known for creating the role of Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music on Broadway, for which she won a Tony Award, and for playing Winifred Banks in Walt Disney's musical motion picture box office smash Mary Poppins. In both roles, she originated songs written specifically for her, including "Send in the Clowns", composed by Stephen Sondheim, and "Sister Suffragette", written by the Sherman Brothers. She was nominated for an Oscar for her work in the 1960 film The Sundowners. Johns was born in Pretoria, South Africa, the daughter of Alice Maude Steele (née Wareham; 1901-1970), a pianist, and Mervyn Johns (1899–1992), the British stage and film actor. Her roots are in West Wales, and she was born in Pretoria while her parents were performing on tour there. She attended Clifton High School in Bristol for a short time.needed Her ancestors on the Johns side are recorded as living at the farm Glanmorlais Uchaf, Trimsaran, Carmarthenshire in 1701. Johns made her first stage appearance in Buckie's Bears as a child ballerina at the Garrick Theatre in 1935. (She later became a qualified ballet teacher). She was spotted dancing in a children's play during the Christmas holidays and cast in her first notable stage production, St Helena at the Old Vic in 1936. That year she was also in productions of The Children's Hour and The Melody That Got Lost. She followed this with Judgement Day (1937), then became a stage star in A Kiss for Cinderella (1937). Johns made her screen debut in 1938 in the film version of Winifred Holtby's novel South Riding. She had small roles in Murder in the Family (1938), Prison Without Bars (1939), On the Night of the Fire (1940), Under Your Hat (1940) and The Briggs Family (1940). On stage she was in Quiet Wedding (1939). Johns was top billed in a comedy Josephine and Men (1955), then supported Danny Kaye in The Court Jester (1956). Annakin used her again in Loser Takes All (1956) and she was one of the many stars who made cameos in Around the World in 80 Days (1956). She returned to Broadway to play the title role in a production of Major Barbara (1956). Johns stayed in America to make the melodrama All Mine to Give (1957). Johns became a star playing the title role in Miranda (1948), a mermaid who causes havoc in a London household. Directed by Ken Annakin the film was a solid hit and established Johns as a film name. Johns supported Richard Todd in Flesh and Blood (1951) and was third billed in the Hollywood-financed No Highway in the Sky (1951). She co-starred with David Niven in Appointment with Venus (1951) for director Ralph Thomas and was one of several star names in Encore (1951) and The Magic Box (1951). She was reunited with Richard Todd for two swashbucklers made for Walt Disney: The Sword and the Rose (1953) (directed by Annakin) and Rob Roy, the Highland Rogue (1953). In between she made Personal Affair (1953) supporting Gene Tierney. Johns had a huge hit in Mary Poppins (1964) and played James Stewart's wife in Dear Brigitte (1965). She was in The King's Mare at the Garrick Theatre in 1966. Category:Actors from South Africa